Apparatus for incasing wood with sheet metal.



PATENTED JAN. 24, 1905. FQDOBSON.

APPARATUS FOR INGASING WOOD WITH SHEET METAL.

APPLIOATIORI'ILED MAR. 30, 1904.

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F. DOBSON.

APPARATUS FOR INGASING WOOD WITH SHEET METAL.

LPPLIOATION FILED MAR. 30, 1904.

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Witnesses bent at the angles around the wood.

UNITED STATES Patented January 24, 1905.

FRANK DOBSON, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR INCASING WOOD WITH SHEET METAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 780,554, dated January 24:, 1905.

Application filed March 30, 1904:. Serial No. 200,717- I To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK DoBsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Incasing Wood specification.

The present invention relates to apparatus for incasing or covering strips, bars, braces, or beams of wood or other material with sheet metal. These metal-covered wooden strips have an extensive use in fireproof construction. They. may be used for adding strength to ventilating-fines, or they may be used in forming window-sashes, window-frames, and other fittings of buildings and for other purposes. v Heretofore, so far as I am aware, when wooden shapes have been covered by metal the metal has first been bent to its ultimate shape and the wood forced into it from one end. This is objectionable, as the contact of the wood and metal is not as intimate as desirable. Furthermore, such construction is expensive and slow.

The object of my invention is to overcome these objections and produce a device which will closely and snugly cover the wood with the metal, the metal being closely and cleanly I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a sectional view of the dies and forming-block, the parts being separated. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the block being removed and the dies in contact. Fig. 3 is a section of a scantling orstiffening-bar covered with metal in accordance with my invention. Fig. 4 is a-side view'of the dies and block.

Like parts are designated by the same reference-numerals in all the views.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, the wooden bar 1, having beveled edges 2, is incased with a sheet metal covering 3. This covering is madein one piece, preferably as long or longer than the bar, and covers all the sides except the side 4, the metal being bent around and extending a short distance, as 5, on such side.

snugly and closely grasp all the sides of the bar and make close engagement with the cor- I ners and angles thereof. with Sheet Metal, of which the following is a To cover'the wooden bar shown in Fig. 3 with the metal in the manner illustrated, the

mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is employed. In these figures, 6 is the lower stationary platform, and 7 the upper moving plunger, of a bending-machinesuch, for instance, as that forming the subject-matter of Patent No. 679,031, dated July 23, 1901. 8 is the lower die, formed preferably of cast-iron, having inserted steel blocks 9 for forming the sharp bending edges 10. The opening to the die 8 is formed of substantially the same shape and size in section as that of the covered bar shown in Fig. 3, changes in the shape of the substantially the size and shape of the cross,

section of the finished bar. The two dies are preferably as long as the finished bar. In

bar necessarily corresponding to changes in In the opening of the connection with these two dies I prefer to employ a forming or bending block 17, this block being of the same cross-section as the opening in the die 8, but somewhat deeper and the same length as the dies. The block is preferably formed of wood and is removably attached to the center of the die 13. A convenient mode of attachment is illustrated in the drawings and consists of anumber of pins 18, each of which enters an opening within the upper die. These pins are arranged at intervals, so as to support the block 17. Each pin is provided with a central hole through which passes a bar or rod 19, the two free ends ofwhich are secured by cotters" 20. The pin 18 pin 18 the latter, together with the block 17 may be removed.

In operation the block 17 is first inserted in place and secured. A strip of sheet metal of the proper dimensions is placed upon the.

lower die 8, resting upon the upper edges thereof. The pressing-machine being put in operation, the upper die 13 descends and forces the block 17 downward, the metal being bent to the form shown in Fig. 1, the portions 5 standing upright. The upper die is elevated sufficiently so that the block 17 may be removed, and the wooden bar 1 is then placed within the center of the bentover or trough-shaped piece of sheet-iron. The machine being again started, the upper die 13 is caused to descend and the free edges of the portion 5 of the sheet metal engaging with the inclined edge 15, and the curved portions 15 of the upper die will be bent inward and caused to closely engage with the upper part 4 of the wooden bar, as shown in Fig. 2. Upon the die being again separated the finished metal-inc'ased bar may be removed.

It is to be understood that instead of completely finishing each bar separately as many shapes of said metal may be bent as desired in successive operations with the block 17 in place and then upon the block 17 being removed the wooden bars may be successively covered.

It is to be understood that when pieces having a different cross-sectional shape from that illustrated are shown the dies are to be modified to suit the changed condition.

Instead of wood being used as the basis of the complete article other material may be employed.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters latent, is

1. An apparatus for covering wooden forms with sheet metal, comprising the two moving elements of a bending-machine, with a die on each, one of said dies having an opening of substantially the same shape and size as the cross-section of the finished article, the other die being substantially fiat with inclined edges, in combination with a removable block of the same shape as the finished article but slightly deeper, so that the metal may be formed to the shape of the bottom and sides by such block, and the block may be then rcmoved and the top turned over onto the form, substantially as described.

2. An apparatus for covering wooden forms with sheet metal, comprising the two moving elements of a bending-machine, with a die on each, one of said dies having an opening of substantially the same shape and size as the cross-section of the finished article, the other die having a fiat medial portion with inclined edges and curved portions connecting the edges with the medial portion, in combination with a removable block of the same shape as the finished article but slightly deeper so that the metal may be formed to the shape of the bottom and sides by such block, and the block may be then removed and the top turned over onto the form, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this th day of March, 190%.

FRANK DOBSON.

Witnesses:

JNo. Rona. TAYLOR, LEONARD H. Drnn. 

